Circuit-controller.



N. M. HOPKINS.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1911,

1,058,587. Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

" UNITED STATES PATENT ornion.

NEVIL MONROE HOPKINS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,,ASSIGNOR, BY

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE ELECTRIC TACHOMETER- COMPANY, 015 PHILADEL- PHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CIRCUIT-CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

Application filed August 25, 1911. Serial no. 645,991.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NEVIL MONROE Hor- KINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columr bia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Gontrollers, of

which the following is a specification.

A is a mile counter or odometer having a series of counters or indicators B, operated by an electro-magnetic device of any well known type.

4 is a battery for furnishing current to operate the electromagnet.

D is a dust-tight casing, adapted to be secured to the steering-knuckle E of an automobile by a clamping device F.

G is a gear adapted to be driven from a gear (not shown) connected to the wheel of the vehicle.

H is a shaft to which the gear G is secured, this shaft being mounted in the casing D as shown. This shaft ll passes through a container J, which is secured to the inside of the casing l), suitable stalling boxes K, L being provided to prevent the leakage of the mercury or other conductmg liquid in the container. A screw M on the shaft H and within the container causes the mercury to flow, when the shaft is rotating through the conduit- N, and thus electrically connect the terminals 0, I.

Mounted on the shaft and driven thereby is a gear Q, meshing with a gear it on a shaft S carrying a worm T which in turn meshes with a worm-gear U, on whose shaft is a cam W arranged to cause the circuit closing spring pens 1 and 2 to close the circuit at each revolution of the worm-gear U. The spring pens 1, 2 are mounted as shown on an insulating block 8. A wire 3 leads from pen 2 to one side of the battery at; a wire 5 from the other side of the battery to the clectro-magnctic indicator A; a wire (3 from the indicator to contact 0; and wire 7 from contact I to pen 1. Suitable insulating bushings are provided at the points where the wires enter the casing D.

The operation of the device is as follows z-VVhen the shaft H is rotated, the screw M causes the mercury to circulate through the conduit N, thus closing thecircuit between contacts 0 and P. The rotation of the shaft also causes the cam \V to intermittently close the circuit at the pens 1, 2, which return to their normal open position as soon as they are released by the cam. The closures of the circuit cause the electro-magnetic device to operate the counters to indicate the number of revolutions of the shaft. It will thus be apparent that the battery circuit cannot be closed except when thecshaft H is in motion, and the battery cannot become exhausted by the stoppage of the machinery with the pens or contacts 1, 2, in contact.

While I have described the device as applied to an automobile, it is obviously capable of use in connection with any mechanism in which it is desired to indicate the number of revolutions of a rotating part. This further to be understood that for the particular form,of intermittent circuit-closing mechanism, may be substituted any equivalent mechanism and that instead of a screw for circulating the mercury, any other form of pump may be used.

I claim:

1. The combination with a battery and its circuit, of a circuit closing device, mechanism for operating said device, and auto-,

matic means for cutting out the battery when the said mcchanism is not'in operation.

2. The combination of. a battery .id its circuit, a circuit-closing device in said circuit, mechanism for intermittently operat ing said circuit-closing device, and automatie mechanism for cutting out said bat- -tery when the said mechanism is not in op eration.

3. The combination of a battery and its circuit, of a circuit-closing devicein said circuit, mechanism for intermittently operating said circuit-closing device, open circuit terminals in said circuit, and automatic means for closing the circuit at said terminals only when said mechanism is in operation.

t. The combination of a battery and its circuit, of a circuit-closing device in said circuit, mechanism for intermittently operating said circuit-closing device, open circuit terminals in said circuit, and means arranged to be operated by said mechanism for closing the circuit at said terminals only when said mechanism is in operation.

5. The combination of a battery and its circuit, of a circuit-closing device in said circuit, mechanism for intermittent-1y operating said circuit-closing device, open circuit terminals in said circuit, a conduitinto which said terminals project, and means arranged to be operated by said mechanism for forcing a conducting liquid through said conduit to electrically connect said terminals;

(3. The COIl'lblIlfltlOIl of a battery and its circuit, of a circuit-closing device in said circuit, mechanism for intermittently operating said circuit-closing device, 0 en circuitteri'ninals in said circuit, a con uit into which said terminals project, a liquid container to which said conduit connects, and a liquid forcing means in said container arranged to be operated by said mechanism for forcing a conducting liquid through said conduit to electrically connect said terminals. 3 p

7. The combination of a battery and its circuit, of, a circuit-closing device in said circuit, mechanism for intermittent-1y operating said circuit-closing device comprising a shaft, a liquid container through which r said shaft passes, a screw on said shaft, a

conduit connected at each end to said container, and circuit-terminals extending into said conduit.

8. A circuit controller comprising a casing, circuit-closing contacts therein, a shaft and means geared thereto for closing said contacts, a liq'uid container through which said shaft passes, a conduit above said container and connected at each end thereto, circuit terminals extending into said conduit, and a screw on said shaft and within the casin 9. A circuit controller comprising'a casing, circuit-closing contacts therein, a shaft and means geared thereto for intermittently closing said contacts, a liquid container havin a closed conduit connected thereto, circult terminals extending into said conduit, and means connected to said shaft for-cans ing liquid to circulate through said conduit.

10. A circuit-closing device comprising a conduit closed on itself, circuit terminals extended into the upper portion of said conduit, a conducting liquid partly filling said chamber but not in contact with said terminals when theliquid is at rest, and means adapted to cause a circulation of liquid through said conduit past said terminals.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NEVIL MONROE HOPKINS.

Witnesses: I

H. Woons, 4 T. KnToHUM. 

